The invention relates to a support for a motor vehicle body-in-white, in particular a side sill for a motor vehicle body.
A support of this kind designed as a side sill is already known, for example from JP 5270447 A. There, a reinforcing element is received with form-fit engagement in a cavity, which is delimited by respective support walls, of a straight longitudinal area of the support. The reinforcing element reinforces the side sill, for example in order to avoid excessive deformation in the event of a side impact. In order to avoid a movement of the reinforcing element in the longitudinal direction of the support, such reinforcing elements are usually connected to the respective support walls of the support by a respective joining connection, for example an adhesively bonded connection or a welded connection.
The object of the present invention is to make available a support which is of the kind mentioned at the outset and which is fastened in a simpler and improved way inside the associated cavity.
This and other objects are achieved, according to the invention, by a support for a motor vehicle body-in-white, with a straight longitudinal portion having at least one cavity which is delimited by respective support walls and in which a reinforcing element is received and is fastened in the longitudinal direction of the support. The reinforcing element is connected to the support with force-fit engagement so as to be fastened in the longitudinal direction of the support.
In order to make available a support of the kind mentioned at the outset, in which the reinforcing element is fastened in the correct position in the longitudinal direction of the support in a particularly simple and reliable manner, provision is made, according to the invention, that the reinforcing element is connected to the support or to the respective support walls with force-fit engagement so as to secure the position of the reinforcing element in the longitudinal direction of the support. In this way, it is possible, in particular, to dispense with a corresponding joint or other type of connection between the support walls of the support and the reinforcing element. This not only permits a particularly simple and cost-effective production of the support with the integrated reinforcing element overall, but also ensures extremely reliable fastening of the reinforcing element in the longitudinal direction of the support during the lifetime of the motor vehicle. Moreover, compared to a welding method for fastening the reinforcing element for example, it is possible to avoid an input of heat into the structural parts involved and, consequently, an undesired change of the joint and resulting misalignment of the structural parts.
The force-fit engagement between the reinforcing element and the respective support walls of the cavity can easily be achieved by suitably heating or cooling the structural parts involved, i.e. the support and the reinforcing element, or, for example, also by pressing the reinforcing element into the cavity. If appropriate, provision can also be made for gentle conical tapering in particular of the reinforcing element, but also of the cavity, so as to achieve the corresponding force-fit connection of the structural parts involved during the pressing-in of the reinforcing element. In the force-fit connection, the two structural parts can be elastically or elasto-plastically deformed. In particular, it is contemplated, for example, that the cavities, or the corresponding support walls which delimit the cavities, widen and/or deform slightly elastically or elasto-plastically on account of a slight overdimension of the reinforcing element. This slight elasticity of the extruded profile then holds the corresponding reinforcing element securely in its intended position inside the cavity, even without additional measures.
In a further embodiment of the invention, it has proven advantageous if the support is designed as an extruded profile at least in the straight longitudinal area in which the reinforcing element is intended to be arranged. It is not only possible for an extruded profile of this kind to be produced very easily and cost-effectively, it also easily provides a cavity of continuous cross section in which a reinforcing element can be fastened with force-fit engagement particularly expediently.
The above-described integration of the reinforcing element in the support is particularly suitable for use in a respective side sill of a motor vehicle. Such side sills have to be reinforced or stiffened in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, for example in order to have sufficient stability when subjected to corresponding forces resulting from an accident, for example a frontal collision with a small lateral overlap (offset crash), and in order not to buckle. Similarly, side sills of this kind also need to have corresponding stability in the transverse direction of the vehicle, for example in order not to undergo excessive deformation in the event of a side impact, which would cause considerable intrusion into the passenger space of the motor vehicle.
In another advantageous embodiment, provision is made that respective supporting elements, on which the reinforcing element is supported with force-fit engagement, protrude from the support walls. Supporting elements of this kind make it possible, in a particularly simple manner, to provide a form-fit connection in the transverse direction or height direction of the support and a force-fit connection in the longitudinal direction of the support.
In a further embodiment of the invention, it has proven advantageous if the reinforcing element is designed as a reinforcing tube. A reinforcing tube of this kind is itself relatively easy to produce and can be subjected to considerable forces in particular in the longitudinal direction, but also in the transverse direction. In this connection, it has moreover proven advantageous if the supporting elements of the support for receiving and supporting the reinforcing tube are designed as plane supporting walls, which extend in the direction of a central axis of the reinforcing tube. This results in a force-fit connection, between reinforcing tube and support, that is particularly uniform in terms of forces.
Alternatively to a reinforcing tube, it is also contemplated that the reinforcing element is designed as a reinforcing structure, in particular as a honeycomb structure. Such a honeycomb structure is suitable in particular for absorbing energy from forces acting in the transverse direction of the support, of the kind that arise in particular when a side sill is exposed to a side impact.
In a further embodiment of the invention, it is for this reason also advantageous if the respective cavities of the reinforcing structure extend in the transverse direction of the support. In this way, it is possible to achieve a correspondingly high degree of energy absorption, for example in the event of a side sill being exposed to a side impact.
Finally, it has proven advantageous if respective guide elements for pushing the reinforcing element in the longitudinal direction of the support into the cavity are provided on the support walls of the support, which guide elements cooperate with corresponding guide elements of the reinforcing element. In this way, the reinforcing element for generating the force-fit connection can be brought particularly accurately and with minimal tolerances to the desired location inside the cavity of the support.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.